Jackson said to be under 'tight medical supervision'

Feb. 18, 2013
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Jesse Jackson Jr. / Chip Somodevilla, Getty Images

by Catalina Camia, USA TODAY

by Catalina Camia, USA TODAY

Jesse Jackson Jr.'s father says the ex-congressman is under "tight medical supervision" after being charged with misusing campaign funds.

"He is struggling with the highs and lows of his bipolar disorder," Jackson Sr., the civil rights leader, told the Chicago Tribune in a statement.

The younger Jackson was formally charged Friday with misusing $750,000 in campaign funds. Federal documents show Jackson bought memorabilia that once belonged to Michael Jackson, Bruce Lee, Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. He is also charged with using the funds to buy children's furniture and a gold-plated men's Rolex watch.

Jackson resigned from Congress in November, after serving for 17 years in a Chicago-based district. He was on medical leave for several months last year, and it was revealed he sought treatment from the Mayo Clinic for bipolar disorder.

Several news reports indicate Jackson is negotiating a plea deal with the U.S. Justice Department. Jackson faces a maximum penalty of up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

In a separate criminal complaint, federal prosecutors charged Sandi Jackson - the former congressman's wife - with filing false tax returns. She faces a maximum penalty of three years in prison and a $100,000 fine.

Jackson Sr. told the Chicago newspaper that he hopes his son's apology, issued Friday when the charges were revealed, will be well received. "This is a storm; within time, storms pass over," he said.